1947-48 Theatre Catalog, 6th Edition, Page 496 (480)

1947-48 Theatre Catalog, 6th Edition, Page 496

Junkets Return as an Exploitation Medium

The Producers Resume Sponsorship of Trips

To Ballyhoo Towns, Theatres, and

This year, prior to the instigation of the drastic econcmy wave that hit the
industry when the full weight of the
British ad valorem tax was felt and
realized, marked the return of the
junkets to towns and cities all over the
United States for the premieres and
tub thumping of many Hollywood productions.

Wartime travel restrictions had been
removed and the lid was off as far as
criss-crossing the country via rail and
air was concerned.

Outstanding, perhaps, was the Warner
trip to Skowhegan, Maine, where uLife
with Father-l7 had its first showing in
the straw-hat theatre first housing the
first performance of the famous Clarence Day play, by Howard Lindsay and
Russel Crouse. Coming at a time of the
year when it was a pleasure to vacation
in Maine at Warnerfs expense, this the
critics, and the newspaper and trade
paper boys and girls, liked. The play
had its world premiere on August 14,
1939, at the Lakewood Playhouse there,
with the Warner film having its world
premiere on August 14, 1947.

Republic, not to be outdone by the
major companies, beat the drums for
ttWyoming" with a premiere in Cheyenne,
with stars William Elliott and Vera
Ralston on hand for the big doings at the Fox Inter-Mountain Paramount and
Lincoln that tied in with the Slst annual Frontier Days Celebration. A feature of this bally was a ttKnow Your
Wyomingil contest, set with the Tribune
Eagle, with contestants asked to identify
photographs of scenes in Wyoming.
First prize was a two-week, all-expense
vacation auto trip throughout the state.
Following the premiere the film played

BY TRAIN the iunketeers proceeded to the "Life with Father" rendezvous
at Skowheqan, Maine, where the Warner Brothers had decided to stage
the world premiere of the picture based on the famous Lindsay-Grouse play.
Here is the eastern delegation leaving Grand Central Terminal in New York.

Eagle-Lion got on the bandwagon
with a junket to Zanesville, Ohio, where
ftRepeat Performancet, bowed in at the
Liberty, Weller, and Quimby, and where
the state of Ohio rolled out the red
carpet for Richard Basehart, one of the
stars of the film, in one of the greatest
welcome-home celebrations seen there
since the First Regiment of Ohio volunteers came back from the Civil War.
Originally scheduled for only the Liberty,
the state-wide interest aroused by the
advance campaign set by Eagle-Lion
director of advertising, publicity, and
exploitation, Max E. Youngstein, and
staff, forced the addition of the other
two houses to handle the demand for
seats. The New York press and tradepress boys and girls were taken out to
the little Ohio town for the doings,
which also had on hand Chili Williams,
Frances Rafferty, Benny Rubin, producer
Bryan Foy, and others.

For thrail Street/i RKO Radio went
to Liberal, Kansas, for its premiere,
where bally centered around the dedication of a thoroughfare as thrail Street},
Traveling on a ffTrail Street" special
train, Bill Williams, Madge Meredith,
Billy House, Nan Leslie, and Ray Whitley, among other stars, toured the state,
stopping off for bally in Kansas City,
Dodge City, Larned, and Hutchinson.

Salt Lake City, Utah, was the scene
for the premiere of Enterprises ttRamrod/l UA release which was designated
as the ofhcial picture of the Utah Cen

Premieres

tennial at its opening at the Utah. Producer Harry Sherman, stars Joel McCrea, Veronica Lake, Donald Crisp, Don
DeFore, Preston Foster, Sonny Tufts,
and many others made the jaunt from
Hollywood. For this premiere the Union
Pacific made available the first post-war
special train for such a purpose.

MGM even held a junket for HIt Happened in Brooklyn," taking the New
York critics to Brooklyn for the premiere of this film at Loewls Metropolitan.

For no apparent reason, Eagle Lion
held the twin world premiere of uBedeliaH in Reading and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and again the critics and the
boys and girls of the press, trade press,
and others packed their bags and were
off to take part in the doings. Once
again they were royally treated by the
film company who hoped for some kind
words in return. On hand, also, was
Isidore Goldsmith, producer of the film.

This enterprising newcomer among the
film companies put on still another
junket for its Senator Claghorn film,
ttltls a Joke, Son," featuring Kenny Delmar. Held in Austin, Texas, this was
followed by a series of Lone Star State
openings in key spots of the Interstate
Circuit, including the Aztec, San Antonio; Metropolitan, Houston; Majestic,
Dallas; and Hollywood, Forth Worth. On
hand were producer Bryan Foy; and a
group of stars including Una Merkel,
Guy Kibbee, Sheila Ryan, Lois Andrews,
Steve Brodie, Jane Darwell, Benny Rubin, and others who helped launch the
film at the Paramount and the State.
The famous Mexican Government Band
of 85 pieces, which had come to participate in the inaugural of Governor

BY AIRPLANE they went to Skowhegan, too, to participate in the event
that was to duplicate, in the usual spectacular Hollywood manner, an
evening exactly eight years before: when. in the Lakewood Playhouse.
"Lite with Father" bowed to the world that soon adopted the Day family.